Orygen

In July 2022, Victoria University (VU) and Orygen launched a partnership aiming to boost the youth mental health workforce capacity, and ultimately improve mental health outcomes for young people.

Our partnership will grow the mental health workforce of the state’s northwest region through providing education and training opportunities for VU students, and focus on collaborative research projects that aim to address the many challenges in Australia’s youth mental health sector.

Top partnership facts

#1

50–100 student placements per year

#2

Employment pathways for more than 8 TAFE and university courses

#3

Research collaboration on physical activity interventions for mental health

About Orygen

Orygen is Australia’s centre of excellence in youth mental health. They believe that all young people deserve to grow into adulthood with optimal mental health, with their work, research and education centred around this mission. Orygen believe in treating early and focusing on recovery, pioneering reform in this medical field to deliver real-world, practical solutions.

Working directly with young people, their families and friends, Orygen lead new and positive approaches to the prevention and treatment of mental disorders, through:

world-leading research that is impactful with the ability to create real change
education, using research and evidence-based practice to develop innovative training programs and provide resources to see young people with mental ill-health getting well, and staying well
clinical care services reaching young people in the west and northwest of Melbourne
advocacy work to ensure policy makers understand the significance and cost implications of mental ill-health in young people.

Our collaboration

VU and Orygen are partnering on youth mental health to generate a skilled and qualified workforce, as well as expanding research opportunities and deepening our support for young people experiencing mental ill-health.

In collaboration, VU and Orgyen will focus on the following through this partnership:

establish a collaborative research plan with a focus on physical activity interventions to improve mental health outcomes
facilitate 50+ placements for VU students in 2023, and nearly 100 in 2024
connect students to full-time paid employment in youth mental health, with several Bachelor of Social Work graduates now working at headspace centres in the West
create a co-located facility on our Werribee Campus to provide enhanced support for young people in the area and opportunities for onsite learning and employment
joint participation in community events in the west, aiming to improve awareness of services and sharing tools around mental health.

Courses that benefit

Courses offering placements at Orygen include:

In the news

VU VC Prof Adam Shoemaker with Orygen Exec Dir Prof Pat McGorry

Partnership announcement

Victoria University and Orygen announce their partnership aimed at boosting youth mental health workforce capacity, and ultimately improving mental health outcomes in Melbourne’s northwest.

VU students at Orygen

As part of VU and Orygen's partnership to boost the youth mental health workforce in Melbourne’s northwest, Master of Applied Psychology students will complete mental health placements at Orygen.

Briahny's time at Orygen

Bachelor of Social Work student Briahny Lundberg is working at headspace Sunshine as an Access Team Clinician

Wellbeing resources

VU is focused on improving student success and retention through strategies that address the challenges students face during their study life.

This list of online resources may help you explore and support different aspects of your physical, emotional and psychological well-being.

If you are finding it difficult to cope, or are unsure about things and would like to talk to someone in confidence, please contact our counselling services.